sleepless nights
by Screaming Argonaut
Summary: Al is noticing strange behavior in his older brother. He can't quite put his finger on what's wrong. M for drug use.
1. Chapter 1

Alphonse set his book down and sighed contently. Sleepless nights may be heinous and lonely, but he can read an entire book with the time he's given. The clock read 3:15 in the morning. He decided to check on his brother sleeping in the next room. The problem was Ed was still awake. He had his bedside lamp turned on and Al could see that Ed had never changed out of the clothes he had worn the day before. He was seated at the foot of his cot and was reading a book intently. The eldest brother had bags under his eyes that twitched periodically.

"Brother! What are you still doing up?" Ed's eyes flashed instantly at Al. Al would have sworn he read a sign of fear in them for a fleeting moment. The expression was gone as quickly as it came, and a small smile tugged at Ed's mouth.

"Oh, nuthin. Just wrapping up this book."

"Ed, Its three in the morning, go to bed. You're always cranky when you're tired and I am in no mood to put up with it." Al joked. Ed didn't catch it and looked sad for a moment while he dog-eared his book.

"Oh…okay Al, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'll hit the sack." Ed stripped off his layers of clothing and snapped off his reading lamp. Once the room was consumed in darkness, Al left and closed the door behind him. Ed waited until the echoing footfalls faded away until he reached under his mattress and removed a small ziplock bag with a dozen or so small capsules within it. He popped one dry and snapped his light back on before continuing his work. While he read, he gauged the amount of pills he had left and sighed. He would have to separate from his brother at some point to buy some more.


	2. Chapter 2

" I don't have much time. Please just give me the goddamn pills!"

"Good things come to those who wait, youngin'."

Ed had managed to convince his younger brother that going their separate ways for a while would help their errands go faster. While Al was at a busy grocery store in the heart of central, Ed was in a dank, secluded alley waiting for 'a guy' to bring his dealer some more pills so he could take one and be on his way. Ed had to eye every person who walked by to ensure that it was no one he knew. As far as he knew, Alphonse could sense when Ed didn't want to talk to someone and manage to find him wherever he was.

Foot steps coming from the other side of the alley startled him and he whipped around to observe the intruder. A man he didn't know strolled up to them with his hands in his pockets. Ed tensed up in case he had to fend off this man. It wouldn't surprise him, not in this part of town anyway.

"Hey kid, this is the guy."

The man grinned and patted Ed's dealer on the shoulder. He looked down at Ed with skepticism.

"Who's this little shit?" asked the stranger right to Ed's face. It took every fiber of Ed's being not to bash his face in.

"This is that kid I told you about. The smart type. Wants to study all night long. Don't really get it, but whatever floats his boat."

"So what? Adderall?"

"Got it?"

"yeah, I got it." He looked back at Ed. "sure you don't want some weed, or somethin'? kid your age should be all over that shit."

"like he said, I don't need shit that'll make me stupid."

The guy smiled and reached in his jacket and produced a plastic bottle of little white pills. He shook the bottle and listened to the contents rattle. Ed's focus was now on the bottle and no longer on the guy.

"How much?" Ed asked as he produced his wallet. He opened it and started counting out bills when his dealer grabbed all of it.

"this'll do."

"Hey! Give me that!" Ed shouted. He continued reaching for the cash until he heard the bottle rattle again.

The guy tossed the bottle in the air and caught it a couple times.

"you want it, don't ya?" Ed lowered his arms and held his right arm for the drugs. The guy slapped it in his hand and the two walked off.

Ed remained in the alley for a while, gazing at the bottle in his metal palm. He couldn't remember how much dough he had in that wallet, but it was at least 1,000 cenz. This was a learning experience for the boy. Never show or tell drug dealers how much money you have. Ed dropped the bottle in a secret pocket he had fashioned in his coat and sulked away.


End file.
